The Percent For Art Program

In May 1997, the Columbia City Council passed legislation to create the Percent for Art program. The program allows for 1% of the cost of new city construction or renovation projects to be used for site-specific public art. Any above-ground capital improvement project with a budget of $1 million or more is eligible to have public art as a component of the completed site.

­The Percent for Art idea is simple: Art is
enriching. Art enriches our daily lives, our surroundings
and our everyday experiences. Art also improves. The Percent
for Art program enhances the public environment, increases
civic pride and promotes economic development. By investing in public art, the City of Columbia is investing in its citizens, its visitors and its future. The Percent for Art program brings art into the realm of daily life. It invites art out from the confines of a gallery or museum and integrates it into the everyday experience where it is accessible to all.

The City of Columbia Office of Cultural Affairs manages the Percent for Art program. A Standing Committee on Public Art is appointed by the city council to assist with the program. For more information, contact the Office of Cultural Affairs.